Keurig Dr Pepper Marketing Proves the Power of Community Branding
Keurig Dr Pepper marketing is insane. After acquiring top spot in big three, it’s rocking the house, blowing the roof, and giving competitors a serious run for their bubbles. And when a brand that’s been around since the invention of the lightbulb is trending, you know something special is bubbling behind the scenes.
So, how did Dr Pepper climb to North America’s #2 most-loved soda? Was it the peppery charm, or is there something genius brewing here? Maybe the brand’s unique, unapologetic vibe or the genius marketing campaigns seem to make everyone stop scrolling. It may be something bigger than all.
By the way, do you love Dr Pepper? Whether you love it or hate it, you must pay attention to what this company is doing right and take notes from that.
Keurig Dr Pepper has created a community of oddballs and quirky consumers
Since its start, this soda’s unique 23-flavor blend has drawn fans who appreciate its distinct taste—always a little offbeat and different from cola flavors. From Boomers to Gen X and Millennials to Gen Z and now adding Gen Alpha — the maroon cans of Dr Pepper are well-known through digital media, traditional channels, and word-of-mouth.
Dr Pepper isn’t just a drink; it’s a vibe, an attitude, and a badge for those who want to be part of something special. The magic? Its iconic “It’s a pepper thing” message says it all. If you get Dr Pepper, you’re in. It’s a clever way of creating exclusivity without excluding anyone; just crack open a can, and you’re part of the pepper club.
And, what does Gen Z or the young generation hate to be? Left behind. Yes, the sense of being in a community, confidence in being you, and drinking delicious drinks — that’s what Dr Pepper has created.
Keeping up with community: Dr Pepper’s Fansville
If Dr Pepper’s quirky fan base needed a home, it would be Fansville. Currently, Dr Pepper’s original commercial series, Fansville, is airing throughout the college football season on ESPN, CBS, and FOX, in addition to appearing across digital, radio, and OOH advertising, as well as on Dr Pepper’s social media platforms.
The series, which debuted in 2018, has taken “college football fandom” and infused it with Dr Pepper’s signature humor, creating a fictional town where football and Dr Pepper are the essentials of life.
In Fansville, every 30-second episode dives into the highs, lows, and downright bizarre moments of college football season, complete with an over-the-top cast of characters who live, breathe, and occasionally shout for their favorite teams and bottles of Dr Pepper.
It’s all part of Keurig Dr Pepper’s masterclass in brand consistency, using Fansville to hook audiences with a blend of excitement and humor that fits perfectly into the experiential marketing for Gen Z . It’s not just a commercial—it’s a comedy series, a tribute to football fans, and, most importantly, a celebration of Dr Pepper “pepper thing” that every fan (whether they’re in an actual stadium or Fansville) understands.
The rise of Dr Pepper is a blueprint for being different, and consistent
Dr Pepper came first, followed by Coca-Cola and Pepsi. A mix of 23 different flavors, put together in a can—voila, people started loving it. This Texas-originated drink established itself as a different kind of drink because of its non-cola taste.
How? Dr Pepper advertised its drink with the 10-2-4 campaign. For 20 years, from the 1930s to the 1950s, “Drink a bite to eat at 10, 2, and 4” was a marketing campaign that ran deep.
Do you remember 104-year-old Elizabeth Sullivan? She became an internet sensation in 2015 after a CNN interview in which she claimed, “Three Dr Peppers a day keeps the death away.” She was famously known for drinking Dr Pepper three times a day for 40 straight years without stopping, something that hasn’t happened with other soda companies.
With its original taste and unique approach to reaching people, Dr Pepper has never stopped being consistent. It doesn’t just know how to blend cherries with carrots; it also knows how to combine strategies for different age groups.
A Beverage Digest report stated that Dr Pepper is growing fastest in popularity among Generation Z. The reasons are simple and creative: responding to the weird “Dirty Soda” trend on TikTok by creating new, limited-time flavors for fans, the Skatelife Crisis commercial that presented friendship between young skaters and mid-age engineer over a can of Dr Pepper and keeping up-to-date with everything happening. Dr Pepper has become a part of Gen Z’s digital lifestyle.
Next for Keurig Dr Pepper is to conquer hurdles for keeping the crown
Dr Pepper’s entrance into the big league of sodas is shaking things up, but holding onto that second spot won’t be a cakewalk. Right now, Dr Pepper is hovering at an impressive 8.34 percent market share, just barely ahead of Pepsi’s 8.31 percent, but Coca-Cola still reigns supreme with a 19.2 percent slice of the soda pie. Closing that gap? That’s where the real fun begins.
First, the brand must keep up with Gen Z’s ever-evolving tastes and start making inroads with the “iPad-kids” of Gen Alpha. These young digital natives live on the Internet, where kid influencers, virtual playgrounds like Roblox and Fortnite, and organic everything is the order of the day. If Dr Pepper wants to capture their loyalty, it’ll have to innovate in ways that hit these virtual worlds while staying true to the quirky, offbeat image fans already love.
However, balancing its digital future with its old-school fan base will be like walking a branding tightrope. Gen X and Millennials—the die-hard Dr Pepper loyalists—expect the brand they grew up with to stay weird and classic. The risk? Over-pivoting to the digital realm and potentially alienating that loyal crowd. Will they keep that perfect blend of nostalgia and digital savvy? Time will tell.
Cut to the chase
After becoming the second most popular soda in the U.S., Keurig Dr Pepper is no longer an underdog in the beverage industry. But what gave this 130-year-old soda giant its recent boost? Is it the power of community branding or the consistent innovation of new flavors?
